By Martha RobardsFor those who haven’t heard, last year, heart experts released new guidelines for blood pressure and that means millions more Americans will now be diagnosed with high blood pressure.What do the new guidelines mean for you?Is your blood pressure too high now according to the guidelines?Anyone with blood pressure higher than 130/80 will be considered to have hypertension, or high blood pressure, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology said in releasing their new joint guidelines.

Why Be Concerned?

The CDC says:

“High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it.

Rarely, high blood pressure can cause symptoms like headaches or vomiting.

There’s only one way to know whether you have high blood pressure—have a doctor or other health professional measure it. Measuring your blood pressure is quick and painless.”

What can you do?

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure or control it if you already have it. The CDC suggests practicing healthy living habits including:

A nutritional supplement that we have helps maintain healthy blood pressure already in the normal range and promotes healthy endothelial function with a patented blend that includes the antioxidant power of 10,000 grapes in every bottle.

Grape skin includes many critical natural compounds that are extremely useful for a healthy cardiovascular system, called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are powerful polyphenolic compounds that are especially helpful in maintaining a healthy endothelial function.

Martha is owner of RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, a health and wellness website that promotes healthy lifestyles, ideas and products for physical, mental and emotional, financial and natural/spiritual wellness. Martha’s work consists of opening shopping accounts for an on-line wellness company (think Costco meets Amazon), presenting, speaking, mentoring and coaching and people building. You can reach Martha at 505-750-7847, by email at marthapmintl@gmail.com, on Facebook, here on LinkedIn, Twitter, or through her websites at RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, here, here, or ProfessionalMentorsInternational.com. She’s not hard to find. For those in the Phoenix area, the next workshop will be on the topic of How To Make Your Home Non-toxic, February 20, 2018.

Occupational wellness, one of the eight aspects of wellness, is about enjoying your occupational endeavors and feeling like you are making a difference and contributing.

Sometimes, however, occupational endeavors seem to be more about making a living and putting food on the table. There are times when enjoying our jobs and doing it just to have an income seem to collide.

If you don’t enjoy your current job, there are things you can do to help. You can try to find something that better suits you. To do that you have to know what suits you. You do have to take some time to get to know yourself and what you do and do not prefer. HINT: It takes time. Do what you can now, do the best you can where you are, be consistent and don’t give up. Your time will come.

Check Your Attitude

Sometimes simply changing our attitude about our own circumstances and position in our current jobs makes a big difference. Here are some tips to help you come up with ideas to make your current job more enjoyable:

Get motivated to face the day to day. Do some positive self-talk. It’s okay.

Keep your work in perspective. Do the best you can in your current situation, keeping the bigger picture in mind.

Remember you are more than your work. You are not your job and your job is not you. It’s what you do.

Make a Change

If you are looking for a different occupational opportunity, take your time, do your research and stay employed while you do that. Side hustles (aka moonlighting) are as popular now as ever.

When you look for something to earn extra money, keep in mind that it will take time, energy and organization to pull this off. You can do it, but have a plan. Do research to fully understand what is involved. Think about:

How much time will be involved?

What is the learning curve?

What kind of training does it provide?

Is it a solid company?

Will you work from home?

Mainly, be persistent and consistent in your efforts. Don’t let things easily discourage you. There are aspects about every job, every side hustle – every day life, that are not necessarily fun. Get through it with a smile.

Martha is owner of RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, a health and wellness website that promotes healthy lifestyles, ideas and products for physical, mental and emotional, financial and natural/spiritual wellness. Martha’s work consists of opening shopping accounts for an on-line wellness company (think Costco meets Amazon), presenting, speaking, mentoring and coaching and people building. You can reach Martha at 505-750-7847, by email at marthapmintl@gmail.com, on Facebook, here on LinkedIn, Twitter, or through her websites at RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, here, here, or ProfessionalMentorsInternational.com. She’s not hard to find. For those in the Phoenix area, the next workshop will be on the topic of How To Make Your Home Non-toxic, February 20, 2018.

Everybody faces obstacles. Everybody does. The obstacle is the obstacle. They happen. But they can also be unique to each of us. Silence your doubtful mind. You can reach your physical health goals, mental and emotional health goals and financial health goals.

Part of a healthy lifestyle is learning how to deal with the obstacles that can come up. Sometimes people have trouble identifying the obstacle, and many times, that means their goals are not clear. People get stuck thinking there is only one solution, which is almost always never the case.

What is your goal? Identify your goal clearly, then you can determine if something is getting in the way of you reaching your goal. If your goal is to exercise everyday at 5:00 pm, but you don’t get off work until 4:45 and it takes you twenty minutes to get to your gym, adjust the time you get off work, or revise the goal to be at the gym at 5:15. This is a simplified example, but you get the idea.

Identify the obstacle. Is the obstacle something you have no control over, or something you created yourself, like a bad habit. In an article in Psychology Today, there is a quote that says, “The obstacle is the path.” – Zen Proverb. Identify the obstacle, then turn it around.

Think of at least three solutions. There is usually more than one solution to overcoming the obstacle. There are options. What are they? Start writing them down, and more will come to your mind. In the example above, there are already two solutions.

Keep working on these things. Every day, think of your goals, keep them clear, and it will be easier to overcome obstacles.

Foot Care And Your Health

They are our foundation. They help with our balance, posture and our personal presentation. With all this considered, it is also true that many of us, especially men, pay little attention to our feet. Unless we identify a problem they, for the most part, are an afterthought in our daily hygiene.

An article from HealthLine, focuses on the diabetic implications of your feet, but it also offers many suggestions that have nothing to do with that particular diagnosis and points out ways that you can prevent serious problems with a few simple steps in your foot care regimen. Healthy foot care and healthy lifestyles go together.

Your Feet and Healthy Lifestyles

You should take discrete care of your feet every day. Develop healthy foot habits. Pay attention to the risks that this article points out. It, as you read it, will surprise you with the ways in which we “ignore” our feet. When was the last time you washed and dried your feet separate from your shower?

The article also discusses toenail care and footwear selection and care. Your feet are an important part of YOU; treat them that way and many problems can be avoided. For example, using a moisturizer regularly can help you avoid dry and cracked skin on your feet, but never use moisturizer between your toes.

I have become increasingly aware of my feet and their care. My company has developed and manufactures a super moisturizer that really makes a difference. They also provide me with first-aid applications when I experience cuts or cracks on my feet. They’re your feet…stay on top of them.

During the brewing process, the antioxidants released are just as potent as vitamins C and E. One cup of coffee contains the amounts of antioxidants as three oranges, most notably potassium and magnesium.

With an increase in prevalence of Breast cancer, awareness of breast cancer – its causes, prevention, and treatment options has also increased. October month is dedicated as Breast cancer awareness month when various foundations, groups, companies, and people like to come together to raise money and promote awareness of breast cancer. The reason for all this attention to the Breast cancer is because it is the second most leading cause of death in women in United States. This means that every 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, claiming thousands of women’s lives each year and affecting most countries. The good news is that Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since 1990, due to better screening and early detection, increased awareness, and continually improving treatment options. There has also been major shift in the mindset of society with success not being measured as “cancer free” but also returning back to “pain free active lifestyle”. With this emerging mind set, Physical therapists serve as valuable members of a multidisciplinary breast cancer team.

Physical Therapy plays a major role in rehabilitation both before and after breast cancer treatment. The Physical therapist would perform a “pre-surgical screening evaluation” before the breast cancer treatment. This is an important procedure as the physical therapist will gather baseline information regarding physical status which will assist the therapist in designing an individualized treatment program after breast cancer surgery as well as treatment through chemotherapy, radiation, initial and reconstructive therapies, and years afterwards if difficulties persist.

Women and men who have surgical procedures to remove cancerous tumors often experience pain and a decreased range-of-motion after surgery. Swelling, or lymphedema, may also be a risk. Working with a rehabilitation specialist before and after procedure can significantly impact functionality and pain levels as the patient recovers. Post-Surgery Physical therapist helps the patient restore their mobility, manage their pain, limit and reduce lymphedema, improve function and help the patient go back to life. Patients undergoing radiation therapy often experience tightening of skin, fascia and muscles. Physical therapy can help that through various stretching exercises, manual therapy and patient education to manage and improve flexibility. Exercise significantly improves attention, and memory in breast cancer patients. Considering that many breast cancer patients suffer from ‘chemo brain’, a feeling of ‘fogginess’ or difficulty with thinking and memory that can occur after breast cancer treatment, Physical Therapy offers a nice recovery option.

Physical Therapy helps patients manage delayed complications as well. Complications like Lymphedema can present within few years or even 30 years post breast cancer treatment. Although there is no cure for Lymphedema, Physical Therapists can help normalize the size of the arm and help reduce the risk of infection. Physical therapist can also prescribe compression garments to maintain reduced arm girth. Fatigue is also another major complaint reported by 90 percent of the patient’s even years after breast cancer treatment. Physical therapists can help the patient improve activity threshold with gradual exercise increment sessions.

In core, Physical therapy has a lot of offer for patients with breast cancer. It is important to remember that the goal of the multidisciplinary approach is to make Breast Cancer patients “live” and not just survive!!!

About the Author: Charu Fnu is a physical therapist with Spooner Physical Therapy. She is passionate about treating breast cancer warriors. She can be contacted at c.fnu@spoonerpt.com or 602-243-1476 if you have any questions in regards to breast cancer rehab.

Martha is owner of RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, a health and wellness website that promotes healthy lifestyles, ideas and products for physical, mental and emotional, financial and natural/spiritual wellness. Martha’s work consists of opening shopping accounts for an on-line wellness company (think Costco meets Amazon), presenting, speaking, mentoring and coaching and people building. You can reach Martha at 505-750-7847, by email at marthapmintl@gmail.com, on Facebook, here on LinkedIn, Twitter, or through her websites at RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, here, here, or ProfessionalMentorsInternational.com. For those in the Phoenix area, the next essential oils workshop will be on November 21.

Make some mixed bean soup, with a package of mixed beans, including lima, black, pinto, and some lentils. Add brown rice and boil in water until the beans a tender. I soaked them until they were just starting to sprout. Add a can of diced tomatoes, and a small can of tomato paste, chop up a carrot, cook for 10 more minutes.